Now that All-Star teams are picked, it's time to dissect selections, snubs

The voting is complete, the rosters are selected, so now it's time to dissect how everyone did in the All-Star voting for next week's game in Kansas City. First of all, it's a good thing that fans, players and managers each get to have a say on which players make the team. The system works. Here's the nutshell: Every team needs to be represented, but the rosters should be cut to 27 and starters should be required to play at last four innings. The winner shouldn't get home field advantage in the World Series because players treat the game like an exhibition. Rather, the league with the best interleague record should get the home field advantage in the World Series, but with interleague play going every day next season, that won't work. So we have to live with the current setup. * Talk about a edgy fan vote for the final roster spot in the National League: Do fans go with Nationals outfielder Bryce Harper, 19, or Braves third baseman Chipper Jones, a future Hall of Famer in his final season? The All-Star Game could focus on Harper, the youngest player in baseball, and the Angels' Mike Trout, 20, the second-youngest player in the game, or it could focus on Jones and the Yankees' Derek Jeter, each a one-team superstar. * Tony La Russa managed the St. Louis Cardinals to the 2012 World Series title and retired. With home field advantage at stake, is it fair to the NL to have La Russa calling the shots? Has he seen enough games this season to manage effectively? The Cardinals had five All-Star picks, but none of them was a La Russa selection. * Philadelphia closer Jonathan Papelbon has had a tremendous season, but does a closer for a slumping last-place team deserve to make the NL roster ahead of the Mets' Johan Santana, who, after coming back from shoulder surgery, has electrified the Big Apple by throwing the first no-hitter in franchise history? Santana is the better choice. * The biggest snub on the American League team is White Sox catcher A.J. Pierzynski. The three catchers are Texas' Mike Napoli, the Orioles' Matt Wieters and the Twins' Joe Mauer, who was the Twins' lone representative. Pierzynski is having an All-Star year, but because the Twins needed a representative on the team, Pierzynski will stay home. One other Twin that deserved to go was former Nationals outfielder Josh Willingham. * The biggest snub in the National League is Houston shortstop Jed Lowrie, who has been a big surprise for the Astros. Going into Monday, he's led all qualified shortstops in home runs, on-base percentage and slugging percentage. Braves outfielder Michael Bourn is a close second in the snub category. * Trout, whose offense has jump-started the Angels into contention in the AL West, came to the big leagues on April 28, and is a candidate to win the AL's Rookie of the Year and MVP, ala Fred Lynn and Ichiro Suzuki. Trout was drafted out of New Jersey in 2009 and the Orioles and Nationals could have had him. The Orioles used their pick to take pitcher Matt Hobgood at No. 5. The Nationals had two picks, and used them on pitchers Stephen Strasburg and Drew Storen. By the way, the Braves took pitcher Mike Minor ahead of Trout while the Tigers took pitcher Jacob Turner and the Mariners second baseman Dustin Ackley. The Cardinals took pitching prospect Shelby Miller ahead of Trout. * Former Nationals first baseman Adam Dunn, the White Sox's DH, is on the AL team, making an incredible comeback. Last season, his first in Chicago, Dunn hit 11 home runs and struck out 177 times. This year, going into Monday, he led the AL with 126 strikeouts, but he's got 24 home runs. * The most unexpected pick is Cubs first baseman Bryan LaHair. The Cubs are out of contention, but LaHair and shortstop Starlin Castro are giving the Cubs multiple representatives for the first since 2008, the year they had eight players on the roster. Arizona's Paul Goldschmidt should have gone in LaHair's place. * Closer Fernando Rodney, who had command problems as a closer with the Tigers and Angels, is the 12th Rays player to make the All-Star roster since 2008. Only Boston, with 16, has had more in that time. Thanks for reading!